Sales rise as UK eats all the pies

Pies of all sorts continue to grow in popularity with the trend towards regionally sourced foods helping

Britons' love of pies is set to help the market reach a value of more than £1bn by 2012, researchers say.

Sales of pastry-based savouries are increasing by about 5% a year in the UK, says market research firm Mintel.

It says the most popular item in what it calls the "pies and pasties" category is now the beef-filled pie - which has ousted the sausage roll as the number one choice.

But pie popularity varies by region, the report added.

Pies - not known for their healthy credentials - are typically referred to as comfort foods.

However Vivianne Ihekweazu, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, said they had also become fashionable.

"While pies were often previously seen as being old fashioned, they have benefited from being repositioned as a popular gastro pub meal staple - moving them a step beyond the sausage roll in the eyes of the consumer as a versatile snack or viable main meal."

What is a pie?

A product that comprises pastry with a filling

Can be meat or vegetable

Includes but is not limited to pork pies, sausage rolls, pasties, slices, beef Wellington, chicken pies

Can be sold hot ready to eat, cold ready to eat, chilled ready to cook or frozen ready to cook, or canned

Source: Mintel

Regional tastes play a part with people living in the Midlands - the home of the pork pie - more heavily dependent on pies than elsewhere, with 90% having eaten one in the past year, research suggests.